Device for resharpening razor blades



May 8, 1934. LAWRENCE 1,958,308

DEVICE FOR RESHARPENING RAZOR BLADES Filed Jan. 12, 1933 Patented May 8,1934 PATENT GFFICE DEVICE FOR RESHARPENING RAZOR BLADES George FrederickLawrence, London, England Application January 12,

1933, Serial No. 651,407

In Great Britain January 20, 1932 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for resharpening safety razor blades,more particularly blades of the double edge type with greaterefficiency.

According to the invention the device consists of one or more units,each unit comprising a pair of parallel or substantially parallel honingsurfaces and a blade carrier mounted for sliding movement between thehones. Each unit may comprise a frame or the like adapted to support thepair of hones at an inclination.

Other features are hereinafter particularly described and set forth inthe claims.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, the same will nowbe more fully described, by way of example, with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device drawn to an enlarged scale, arazor blade being suggested in dot-dash lines;

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line A-A of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the device; Figure 4 is a detail perspectiveview of a pair of blade carriers in dissociated relation, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view, drawn to a reduced scale, of one of theframe members formed from a single piece of material.

Referring to the drawing, the sharpener is shown as consisting of a pairof units arranged back to back and each comprising a frame 1 formed froma rectangular piece of sheet metal which is shaped or formed to providea pair of substantially parallel sides or walls 2 and a sunken orchannel portion 3 which extends the whole length of the frame 1 betweenthe sides 2. The sides 2, as shown, are bent or folded back to providespring clips 4 for holding hones 5 which are in the form of narrowrectangular 4o strips of glass, stone, metal, fibre, leather or thelike, certain or all of which may be coated, impregnated or otherwisetreated to aiford a fine abrasive surface. The spring clips 4 hold thehones 5 flat against the under surfaces of the sides 2 of the frame 1,which sides are open since they are provided with slots 6 so as toexpose the operating surface of the hones. The portions of the sides 2surrounding the slots 6 cover the marginal edges of the hones, and, inconjunction with the clips 4, hold the hones in position. As shown, thesides 2 of the frame 1 are disposed at an outward inclination orslightly divergent with respect to each other, so that the entire lengthof the cutting edges of a razor blade '7 of the double edge type willrest on, or be supported by a pair of hones 5. A substantiallytrough-shaped blade carrier 8 for each unit is slidably mounted withineach channel or sunken portion 3, which carriers, as shown in thedrawing, each comprise a body part provided with upstandinglongitudinally extending Walls or flange portions 10 the longitudinaledges of which project slightly beyond the longitudinal edges of thechannel portions 3, so as to be engaged by the blade 7 when the blade isflexed, due to pressure exerted by a finger of the user against same, inthe operation of re-sharpening so as to limit the flexing of the blade,see Figure 2. The blade carriers 8 are connected together by means suchas a rivet 11 passing through slots 9 in the bases of the channels 3.The said body part is also provided with means to engage the blade toinsure that the blade will travel with the carrier during the Ire-sharpening operation. In the example shown, the said means consist ofan upstanding portion, lug, pin or the like 12, at each end of theslidable carriers 8 to enter or occupy the holes usually provided in thedouble edge type of safety razor blade. Each end of the frames 1 may beclosed by means of a shaped cap or end cover 13 provided with a marginalflange 14, or a bent over portion or portions, to engage over the endsof the frames, said caps or covers 13 being held in place by anyconvenient or known means, such as lugs 15 or the like on the ends ofthe frames 1 extending through slots in the caps or covers 13 and upsetor turned over as shown in Figure 3. This arrangement forms a convenientmeans for retaining the units in position. If desired the caps or covers13 may be provided with legs or supporting members. The inclination ofthe sides 2 is such that the hones 5 will be disposed at an appropriateangle with respect to that of the cutting edges of the blade.

Although reference is made herein to a sharpener having four hones, forexample, a pair of abrasive hones and a pair of finishing hones, arranged back to back, it will be understood that only one pair of honesmay be employed.

If desirable, the blade carriers 8 may, in addition to being arrangedfor longitudinal sliding movement, be given an oscillating or sidewaysmovement, one or more of such movements being effected during each toand fro stroke, by pro viding a curved or sinuous runway or slot at 9engaging suitable lugs or projections on the blade carrier.

In the operation of resharpening a double edge blade provided withholes, as above referred to, the

blade is placed on the carrier 8 with the lugs or the like 12 occupyingthe holes and the user, by pressing lightly on the top of the blade,will flex the same against portions 10, see dotted lines in Figure 2, sothat the edges of the blade, throughout their entire length, are inpositive contact with the respective hones 5. Now, by moving the carrier8 to and fro within the runway or channel 3 the blade 7 will be movedtherewith in a direction substantially parallel with the hones, theedges of the blade, due to the flexing, being held in rubbing contactwith the bones and effectively re-sharpened, the opposite side of thecutting edges being re-sharpened by merely reversing the blade on thecarrier. The slot 9 is of such length as to prevent the possibility ofthe cutting edges of the blade contacting with the metal at the ends ofthe sides or walls 2.

The invention may be adapted for use with single edge razor blades bypivotally mounting a blade holder on the carrier, the blade beingengaged in the holder which is moved with the carrier, the blade beingmoved from one hone to the other by swinging over the holder tore-sharpen the edge on both sides.

What I do claim as my invention and desire to obtain by Letters Patentis:-

1. A razor blade sharpener comprising two frames, each frame having apair of open walls in diverging relation and a channel member connectingthe walls; means securing the frames together with the bases of thechannel members facing each other, registering longitudinal slots insaid bases, a blade carrier reciprocable in each channel, meansextending through said slots connecting said blade carriers, hones,means securing said hones against the inner surfaces of said walls,means on each carrier to position a blade with the cutting edges thereofin contact with the adjacent hones through the open walls, and saidcarriers being arranged to limit depression of adjacent blades tocorrectly angularly dispose the cutting edges during sharpening.

2. A razor blade sharpener comprising two frames, each frame being in asingle piece and having a pair of open walls in diverging relation, achannel member connecting the walls and clasp portions extending fromthe outer edges of the walls and between the frames; end members,separable connections between the end members and Walls, hones securedagainst the inner surfaces of said walls by said clasp portions, a bladecarrier reciprocable in each channel member, the bases of the channelmembers facing each other and provided with registering slots, meansextending through said slots connecting said blade carriers, lugs oneach carrier to enter openings in the blades to position the blades withthe cutting edges thereof in contact with the adjacent hones through theopen Walls, said carriers serving to limit depression of adjacent bladesto correctly angularly dispose the cutting edges during sharpening.

GEORGE FREDERICK LAWRENCE.

